This FAQ describes how to run Control Panel (and
other) tools in Windows from MMB script.
Rundll32.exe is used by Windows to launch actions
defined in DLLs. One of its capabilities is running Control Panel
tools (applets).
Using Rundll32.exe, you can launch the applets from a CPL file,
and you can cause the applet to open on a particular page.
Basic Script Syntax:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL
filename.cpl")
General
syntax:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL
filename.cpl,@n,t")
where filename.cpl is the name of one of Control Panel's *.CPL files,
n is the zero based number of the applet within the *.CPL file,
and t is the number of the tab for multi paged applets.
To select a particular applet within the file,
append a comma, an @ sign, and the number of the applet.
Launch the keyboard applet, which is the second applet within Main.cpl,
you would use:
Run("
rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,@1")
Some multipage applets are designed so that they
can be opened at a particular page. You must specify the applet
number (@0 for a single-applet file). Then append a comma and the
page number.
This line launches the Display Properties dialog and opens to the
Appearance page (the third page; number two ):
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL
desk.cpl,@0,2")
Control panel tools and applets:
Accessibility Options access.cpl
Add New Hardware sysdm.cpl
Add new hardware Add/Remove Programs appwiz.cpl
Date/Time Properties timedate.cpl
Display Properties desk.cpl
FindFast findfast.cpl
Fonts Folder fonts
Internet Properties inetcpl.cpl
Joystick Properties joy.cpl
Keyboard Properties main.cpl keyboard
Microsoft Exchange mlcfg32.cpl
Microsoft Mail Post Office wgpocpl.cpl
Modem Properties modem.cpl
Mouse Properties main.cpl
Multimedia Properties mmsys.cpl
Network Properties netcpl.cpl (In Windows NT 4.0, Network properties
is Ncpa.cpl, not Netcpl.cpl)
Password Properties password.cpl
PC Card main.cpl pc card
Power Management (Windows 95) main.cpl power
Power Management (Windows 98) powercfg.cpl
Printers Folder printers
Regional Settings intl.cpl
Scanners and Cameras sticpl.cpl
Sound Properties mmsys.cpl
Sounds System Properties sysdm.cpl
Examples
Date/time
applet, Time Zone tab:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL TIMEDATE.CPL,@0,1")
Desktop
applet, Screensaver tab:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL DESK.CPL,@0,1")
Network applet, Protocols tab:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL NCPA.CPL,@0,2")
Network applet, Adapters tab:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL NCPA.CPL,@0,3")
System
applet, Environment tab:
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL SYSDM.CPL,@0,2")
Sound
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl")
Joystick
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL joy.cpl")
Users Tool
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl
users")
Networks properties, Services tab
Run("rundll32.exe",shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL ncpa.cpl,,1")
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Other tricks
Format Disk
Run("rundll32.exe","shell32.dll,SHFormatDrive")
Copy
Disk
Run("rundll32.exe","diskcopy.dll,DiskCopyRunDll")
Exit Windows
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","USER.EXE,ExitWindows")
Restart Windows
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","USER.EXE,ExitWindowsExec")
Logoff
Windows 98 and run Explorer after relogon:
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE",SHELL32.DLL,SHExitWindowsEx
4")
Start
"Add New Printer" wizard:
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","SHELL32.DLL,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL
AddPrinter")
Show
Windows 9*'s "System setting changed, do you want to reboot now?"
dialog
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","SHELL.DLL,RestartDialog")
Open
a file with Windows' "Open as" dialog:
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","SHELL32.DLL,OpenAs_RunDLL filename")
Swap
your mouse to left handed:
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","USER.EXE,SwapMouseButton"
Windows NT: Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","USER32.DLL,SwapMouseButton")
Start
DialUp Network:
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","RNAUI.DLL,RnaDial exact name
of dialer entry")
Install
ScreenSaver
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","DESK.CPL,InstallScreenSaver filename.scr")
Display
the Fonts Folder in Explorer view
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL
FontsFolder")
Displays
the Create New Shortcut dialog.
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL apwiz.cpl,NewLinkHere
path")
Displays
the Install/Uninstall tab selected
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,1")
Send
the HTML file to the printer
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","mshtml.dll,PrintHTML htmlfile.html")
Displays
Internet Properties, General Tab
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,0")
Microsoft
Exchange Profiles general property page
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mlcfg32.cpl")
Microsoft
Postoffice Workgroup Admin property page
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL wgpocpl.cpl")
Multimedia/Audio
property page
Run("RUNDLL32.EXE","shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,0")
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